The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-12-30
VOLAPUK.
The New Language Expounded by a
Professor of 1t.


Professor of 1t.
The exposition of the new language uni
versal, ''Volapuk," which Col. Charles E.
Sprague gave recently in New York, was,
says the New York Commercial Adverti-
ser, evidently both entertaining, instructive
and gratifying, as judged by the interest of
the crowded audience. The occasion was
one of the regular Friday morning series of
familiar talks" before the students and as
many of their friends as could also be ac-
commodated in the assembly rooms Col.
Sprague is the American representative OF
the Vo1apuk academy, and probably the
best posted individual on the subject of this
new Language without a country in
America. He is ready speaker, and has
evidently special aptitude in the use of ex-
pedients for the explanation and rendering
attractive of his theme. His familiarity
with other languages also lends fuller scope
to his style, and an apparently confirmed
belief in all that he claims for the new Ian
guage added interest to the earnestneSs of
his endeavor to convert his hearers TO the
same belief.
A little lecture on the subject of Ian
guageS in general and this recently devised
one in particular comprised his Introductory
remarks, the lecturer aiming to show the
necessity for some method common to men
of all nations, by which could be expressed
in writing the universally of thought that
can be impaired in some degree, at least, by
verbal and sign language. Then with the aid
of blackboard he set forth the claims of
Volapuk to be this great desideratum and
endeavored to establish the assertion of its
founders that it is not only the youngest
and most curious of all languages, but
the most easily acquired. The system of
moods and lenses and declenSons of its
verbs and nouns, somewhat after the fash
ion of Latin and Greek, were Illustrated,
and in this connection he remarked that al
though brevity was not especially sought
for in its construction, it had to great ex-
tent involuntarily attained that end, two or
three words, as, for instance, verb of the
future perfect tense and a nom of the dat
i've case, often expressing whole sentence
of ordinary English. Thus tie language
could be made particularly useful for tele-
graph, and being universal it could be used
with great freedom for cabling to foreign
countries. A good many examples of the
language were cited.
"Schleyer has given to the world a new
language" would read in Volapuk
''Schleyer egioom puld unlik vole' 1t was
explained tgat the principle of all verbs
was, like the classics, to have one root and
add the different lenses and even further
qualifications by affixes or prefxes Of let
ter or two. After the lecture proper ques-
tions were freely asked by the audience and
answered Ivy the lecturer. These are some
of the questions and answers:
How old is the language"
sit is only years ola.
SIS there any die ionary of itP'
Yes, one of about IA, 600 words and Civ
ing quite an extensive vocabulary. The
L. ;e Il,
words are being constantly added as required
from derivatives by the academies charged
with such business
''How do you express moneym
''The termination ABB signifies money.
do dollars, and sent cent. Thus sos s.
would be written 'lultum nialsalael doabs,
killalael sentabs.'
''Can the language be written inktenog-
raphyw
II am not sure; think it can, but that
would be like most other languages, while
stenography, think, has been especially
adapted to English"
SIS Volapuk already put to any practical
user
.'Oh, yes. Over one of the largeststores
in Paris there is the sign 'Volapukon. 'mean-
ing literally, 'One speaks Volapuk here.
similar to the common signs in Eurepean
stores, One speaks English here When
you get inside the store you find that the
sign was correct and you are the one This
is not the case with Volapuk.
"How long would it take one not ccnver-
SAINT with any other language to learn VIOLA
pukr
I'm month you would have good gen
eral knowledge of it, and vocabulary of
one or two hundred of the most essential
words at your command, and in about
three months you would be able TO under
stand and write with little aid from die
tionary."
'Do you use any special charactersP'
mo. Nolapuk is always written in the
ordinary Roman letters of English. 4
think even that the German text is dying
out. q"
when was Volapuk inventedg"
''By Schleyef, near Lake Constance, on
the borders of Switzerland, in 1879. Then
it was introduced into Austria, German
France, and has now overspread the whole
continent OF Europe and extended to every
other continent"
"What are the means of spreading it?"t
"All over Edrope there are societies for
that object. They number now las and
several papers are printed in that Ian
guage."
"What is the general principal of the
structure of Volapuk sentences"
more nearly like French and considera,
bly, like English, except that adjectives are
placed after the nouns.o
What do you think will be the attain
ments of itr'
''Volapuk is primarily literary lam
guage. As a means of communication bel
tween different snationaiities it must be-
come indispensable, and it will be taught in
colleges and used by ali bust
ness houses as an adjunct to stenography
and type writing"
Hoods Sarsaparilla is purely vegetable